


Wabi Sabi

by Stormashke



Category: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 10:22:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14892828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stormashke/pseuds/Stormashke
Summary: A surprise gift leads to beginnings and endings. After all, isn't patience the same as hope?





	1. Chapter 1

WABI SABI

Andy stared at herself in the mirror. She was stressing about her outfit yet again. Granted, she was used to stressing about her outfit while working for the High Queen of fashion because honestly how could you not stress about what you were wearing around a silver-haired goddess? On the good days she would get a nod. On the very good days she would get a small smile. 

On the bad days she wanted to crawl in a hole and die. Thankfully there weren't many of those anymore.

But today was a different kind of stressed. It was the beginning of the week that would mark her two year anniversary at Runway. And barring one little hiccup...(well...if you could call leaving Miranda in the middle of Paris Fashion Week a little hiccup) she had done her job and survived the Dragon. And now it was time for her final review. Miranda had been hinting that it was time for Andy to move on.  
And she wasn't quite sure how she felt about that. Groaning and blowing her bangs out of her eyes, she did a final once-over of her outfit, decided that was as good as it was going to get and grabbed her bag and cell phone and headed for the subway.  
___  
Arriving at her desk, she noticed a single white rose with thorns sitting in a simple clear glass vase on her desk. Surprised, but with no time to investigate further, she quickly went about setting up for the day.

Miranda strode quickly through the office firing off orders as Andy smoothly took her place just behind her.

"Get me that list of photographers we were working with yesterday."  
"It's already on your desk, Miranda. I've also moved up the meeting with the Art Department to 10am to make room for the preview across town for that new designer A'Lin."

Nodding, Miranda sat behind her desk and regarded the young woman before her. Andrea had grown in the last two years. Gone was the shy, awkwardly coltish girl. In her place, was a young sophisticate who now had an idea of how the corporate world worked. She allowed herself a moment to peruse the ensemble Andrea had put together today. No longer sticking strictly with Nigel's influence, her own sense of style was finally emerging. Classic yes. But fun and sassy without being over the top. Playful as it were. Nodding ever so slightly, she tried to ignore the beaming grin of pleasure from her First Assistant.

"That's all." Miranda said, spinning in her chair to watch as Andrea went back to her own desk. Noting the stark white flower on her assistants desk Miranda watched as Andrea took a moment to examine the oddity.

Contemplating her assistant, Miranda sighed. It was time for her to release the young woman. The fact that she was quite possibly the best assistant Miranda had in years notwithstanding. No, it was this other thing between them that was making Miranda question her sanity. 

Well. Never one to sit idly by and wait, Miranda already had a plan for how to move on from this. Now she had to wait and see. She could be patient. Patience, when you think about it, was a lot like hope. You waited to see what would happen while doing your best to stack the deck for the outcome you wanted.

And with hope, you did all you could but waited and acknowledged the end result was truly out of your hands. So hope and patience were working together now. 

Miranda would just have to see which way they would go.  
___  
In a rare moment of downtime between meetings, Andy contemplated the beautiful pristine flower in the charming bud vase. It was an almost perfect specimen. From the outside looking in, it looked...perfect. But if you examined it, like really looked close? You could see a small imperfection. You could only see it if you were looking at it in the right light, from the right angle. It was missing two petals.

A beautiful flaw.

Andy wondered who would give her such a thing? Did the person know about the missing petals or were they just trying to give her something to brighten her last few days, knowing how hard it was going to be for her to leave Runway?

Ok, so that part wasn't strictly true. She was sad to leave but only because of the people she'd be leaving. Nigel, Em, Serena and even Jocelyn. But she knew she had a shot of at least seeing those people again.  
If she was honest with herself, which when it came to this particular topic she tried very hard not to be, she was more heart-broken over leaving her mercurial boss than all of the others combined. Covering her eyes with her hands, she tried to talk herself once more off the ledge.

It had happened so slowly! She hadn't even seen it happening. She had fallen for her boss. Her much older boss. For a writer she was a cliche! But...that wasn't exactly true either was it? She hadn't fallen for the Editor of Runway. The Dragon in Heels. The Devil in Prada. The Ice Queen of Page Six.

No. 

She had fallen for a woman in a silver robe. A mother afraid for her children. She had fallen for the woman who worked late and sometimes misplaced her glasses or even her cell phone and on one memorable occasion her laptop.

In Miranda's defense, it had been the day from hell with two meeting with Irv and a phone call from Jacqueline to top it off. Was it really any surprise she had left the computer in the town car that night? 

Thank god for Roy!

There had been so many moments over the past two years where she had felt connected to the older woman. Maybe it was a moment shared over the twins. When it came to those girls, Miranda was certainly not above bragging about their accomplishments. And that was fine with Andy. She had gotten to know the two little red headed terrors almost as well as she knew their mother. It wasn't unheard-of for Andy to spend a day at the townhouse on the weekend working on a difficult layout with Miranda. So it was, of course, natural that she would spend time with the girls as well. Right?

It didn't necessarily mean anything! Or at least that was what she tried to tell herself. But none of that changed the fact that she had decidedly unprofessional feelings regarding her boss. She was in love with the woman behind the Editor of Runway. Oh the Editor was certainly a large part of the woman. She actually enhanced the overall picture that was Miranda Priestly.

In a fit of masochism, Andy let herself wonder if maybe the flower was from Miranda? 

Almost immediately, she discarded the idea. If Miranda cared for her in anyway other than professionally Andy would eat those rose petals!

Ugh! She really needed to get a grip! Her meeting with Miranda was scheduled for 3pm today and it wouldn't do to go in there mooning over the woman. 

Be professional! If she couldn't leave Runway with Miranda then she would at least leave having Miranda's respect! With that in mind, she settled in to do her job and make sure Miranda's day ran smoothly.  
____  
Andy tried not fidget as Miranda looked over her employee file. Reading glasses tipped just so, spinning ever so slightly in her chair. Andy felt as though she was in the principal's office.

"So," Miranda finally addressed the young woman, "Aside from one moment where you clearly lost your mind, your work has been quite acceptable. That being said, I believe it would benefit both of us if you were to move on from Runway." 

Miranda noted how Andrea bit her lip and her face grew pale. The dark chocolate eyes grew wide...almost disbelieving and she opened her mouth to speak, "Andrea, that was not a question."

Andy snapped her mouth closed but something about the words were almost playful. She was reminded of her interview and of how far she had come. Nodding slowly, "I understand what you're saying Miranda. But I do believe Runway is a good fit for me."

Leaning back in her chair now, Miranda slowly shook her head, "Andrea, you are not a fashion writer. And unless I misunderstood your previous ambitions you wish to be a journalist. Again, that was not a question." Miranda actually smiled, "There is a position opening up at The Mirror. You would be a good fit there, I believe. Call this number. You're interview has been arranged." Miranda handed over a folded yellow post it note with a number written on it. "That's all."

Rising on shaking legs, Andrea left the office with her heart thudding and a sick feeling in her stomach. Somehow, she had thought just maybe Miranda could have been reasoned with. But of course not. Two years and she was out. It didn't matter how hard she had worked. Or how much more she would have been willing to do. 

Sighing, she sat down and stared at the white flower in the vase before her. As Miranda swept by her, leaving for the day, Andy barely heard her final instructions. Staring down at the yellow post it note with red numbers Andy could feel herself shaking.

She didn't know how long she sat, looking down at the small slip of paper that was going to change her future. But it finally registered that she needed to actually make the call. Standing, she walked out of the office and headed home, shoving the note in her pocket.

Finally, sitting on the subway she pulled the note out once more. Crumpled now, she tried to smooth it so she could read the numbers. Unfolding the note, she watched as two small white petals fell softly to the ground.

Reaching down, she picked up each petal. Slowly, she turned the note over to the side that had been hidden when Miranda folded the note.

_Andrea,_  
_Can you agree that something most people believe is perfect can be enhanced by its flaws? If you believe that to be true, then I am hoping you will understand what I am trying to say with these petals. For beginnings there must be endings. For growth, there must be pain. If you see this flower in the same way that I do, then I hope you will understand what I am saying.  
M_

Blood rushing to her face, Andy read and reread those words and missed her stop altogether. When she finally surfaced onto the busy New York street, she prayed she wasn't misinterpreting those cryptic words. Hailing a taxi that she couldn't really afford, she once again made her way across town.  
___  
Sitting in her favorite chair, sipping a glass of Merlot, Miranda contemplated her day. Would Andrea understand what she had been trying to say? And even if she did, who was to say that Andrea felt anything near to what she herself did? 

There it was again. Hope. Sighing, she sipped delicately at her wine and waited. Oh yes, she had seen the way Andrea had watched her time and again. She had also seen the way the young woman paled at the prospect of leaving Runway. But did that mean what she thought...what she hoped?

Before she could take herself to task any further for her foolishness, the doorbell rang. Wild hope surging in her chest vied with annoyance at being interrupted. Quickly, she walked to the door in stocking feet. 

Opening the door, she felt her heart beat hard against her ribs. There stood Andrea, wild eyed and waiting.

"Andrea..." she began. Andrea pushed past her and held out the note with a trembling hand.

Andy tried not to over-think the situation, "Do you mean it? Are you asking me what I really hope you're asking me?"

Miranda felt herself consumed by that unlikely feeling of hope. Warmth spreading like dragon wings in her chest, helping her heart to beat, "Can you see the imperfections in something that seems so perfect? And if you do, can you see them as assets to the whole Andrea?" Blue eyes, lit with fire, now watched as amber eyes glowed with fierce determination, "Can you see me?"

Andy waited for a single breath before answering, "I've always seen you. I just never knew you saw me." Moving forward now, determined and confident, Andy leaned forward and leaned her forehead against Miranda's. "We make a pretty imperfect pair, Miranda."

Sliding her arms around Andrea's waist, Miranda actually grinned, "Well, I've never been adverse to a little Wabi Sabi."

Andy laughed as Miranda leaned forward and captured her lips in a soft gentle kiss. A soft exploration, with the promise now of so much more. As Miranda drew back she asked , "So did you actually call the Mirror?"

Andy leaned forward and kissed Miranda again, wondering just how long it would take the Editor to stop thinking about work and start thinking about their future.


	2. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her word is her bond, after all!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A comment by our lovely AFey and my own personal cheerleader prompted this. Hope you enjoy and thank you all for the support!

Epilogue: Six Months Later

Andy stared at Miranda in disbelief. A lazy Saturday shared, became a Sunday of "tell me when you noticed me." Which in turn became "Tell me what you thought about on that day." Which led directly to her current dilemma.

Miranda had actually done it!

Sitting at the breakfast bar, Andy watched as Miranda, resplendent even in her casual jeans and cowl neck shirt, served her up a dish of ice cream. The pair had enjoyed many quiet moments here since that evening, when a post-it note and flower petals changed both of their futures.

For her part, Miranda watched, with an amused quirk of her lips that could be called a smile. "Really, Andrea, I don't see why you're so surprised. I should think, by now, you know I am a woman who takes a great deal of pride in her word. You said you would do it. Did you not? And then you had, well, the surprising lack of foresight to tell me that you said it." Miranda huffed out a breath in mock exasperation, "Did you honestly believe I wouldn't be sure to make you follow through? What kind of "Mentor" would I be then, hmm?"

Andrea glared at the term. It was what the Press had taken to calling Miranda. It explained Andrea's departure from Runway and reappearance in Miranda's life rather handily. And to be honest, it was more true than she'd have imagined at the time!

Miranda did help her with articles. She was a sounding board for all of the things that Andy wanted or needed. And so...once again, Miranda was correct. Bathing in contented afterglow or not, she should have realized Miranda would have held her to her word. Even if it was just her word to herself.

"Fine, but where did you even find them?" Andrea picked up a spoon and began to fiddle with the concoction in front of her.

Smirking now, as Andrea took a bite, "Candied rose petals are quite easy to find, Darling. If one knows where to look. Now, eat up. I have plans to help you work off those empty calories and the inevitable sugar rush."

Andy laughed as she ate the second rose petal that had been sprinkled over the dish of vanilla ice cream. Sometimes it was in her own best interest to simply agree!

"Yes, Miranda!"

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer:  
> I don't own them. I wish I did. Because if I did, I would be able to play with them all day long. Seriously, no money was made by this and its all just for fun!  
> A/N: This is my first attempt at fiction in this fandom. Major shout out to AFey for being amazing. To the JEHC for being inspiring. For all my other little cheerleaders (you know who you are and I will ask you to put the uniform on later! ;) Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!


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